What iOS 9 Features Will Apple Unveil At WWDC?

All fans of Apple, along with many developers, are waiting with baited breath to hear about the latest updates in iOS 9. This latest mobile operating system will be announced during the Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) in San Francisco, which takes place in the next few days. There is already a massive amount of speculation doing the rounds regarding precisely what Apple will release at this conference, but the latest iOS 9 is an absolute certainty for this event. So here is a rundown of the certain and speculative possibilities for this mobile operating system.

iOS 9 – Home

The first element of the Apple mobile operating system which has been strongly rumored is related to smart home functionality. This Home release is expected to collaborate with Apple’s existing HomeKit software, and will enhance Apple’s position in this niche ahead of the long-awaited prominence of the Internet of Things. It has been reported that this Home software will enable users to group items of smart appliances together figuratively within the home.

Maps

Apple may also be updating its maps functionality in iOS 9, as the consumer electronics giant attempts to take on the existing Google Maps. Apple has already moved to exclude Google Maps from his operating system’s software palette, as Apple attempts to position its proprietary offering favorably in what is becoming a profitable marketplace. According to reports, the latest Maps release that will be included in iOS 9 will particularly focus on providing information related to public transport.

More customization

One aspect that would unquestionably be particularly popular with Apple fans in iOS 9 would be a greater amount of customization. It is something of a cliche that Apple provides a slick but buttoned-down operating system with the iOS series, and this has begun to change in recent offerings. Indeed, iOS 8 presented a level of openness that was certainly not present in the previous versions of the operating system, with aspects such as extensions, third-party keyboards and Notification Center widgets all prominently accessible in the design of the software.

Nonetheless, Apple still ensures that aspects of iOS 9 remain beyond the reach of users, and there is no doubt that even the most devoted fans of the iOS operating system and iPhone would love to have access to everything within iOS 9. This continues to separate the software from Android, which is renowned for being wide-open and extremely customizable.

Control Center upgrades

Perhaps central to this customization would be the Control Center which is such a notable aspect of the iOS operating system. It would greatly improve the user-friendliness of the Control Center if Apple enabled it to provide the precise settings that any individual user might require, or at the very least provide a simple way to organize the layout as required.

This spirit of customization could even extended to app shortcuts. Enabling uses to choose any applications that they desire for the four shortcut slots included in iOS 9 could be an extremely valuable offering. This would enable developers to offer quick links to specific features or settings without users having to tolerate the clutter and clunkiness of the Notification Center.

Siri

There is no question that voice-operated technology is becoming increasingly important, and it has been particularly prioritized by Microsoft in recent hardware releases. Thus, Apple is strongly expected to improve its Siri software when iOS 9 is released. Personal assistants are all the rage at the moment, and considering that the Apple Watch has instigated Apple users utilizing the service more than ever before, it is certainly due for an upgrade when iOS 9 is released.

Rumors have suggested that Siri will also be central to the forthcoming Apple TV, although reports in the last couple of days have asserted that this hardware would not be part of the Worldwide Developers Conference. The latest version of the software is expected to be more interactive and intuitive than previous releases, and there are also suggestions that the software could interact with people throughout the day, making regular reminders to users in accordance with similar functions included in the Apple Watch.

Multitasking

Another major suggestion for iOS 9 is that it may embrace multitasking. This has been a rumored aspect of the operating system for quite some time, and also a quality that has been linked with forthcoming Apple devices. It is therefore suggested that iOS 9 will offer split-screen functionality, ahead of major device releases from the corporation such as an iPad Pro. Although this device has yet to emerge, or even be confirmed by Apple, its existence is an extremely poorly kept secret, and it is rumored that iOS 9 will thus include this feature ahead of its inevitable release.

Apple Watch features

No-one is quite sure what Apple will have in mind for iOS 9 with relation to the Apple Watch, but it has been strongly suggested that there will be new features announced at the Worldwide Developers Conference. This could possibly be linked to Apple Pay, with Apple certainly focused on cementing the market position of its mobile payment software following the announcement of Google’s Android Pay.

The corporation will unquestionably be looking for a way to attract more users to this marketplace, with early sales figures for the Apple Watch considered to be extremely positive. This is seen as an obvious entry point for consumers to mobile payments and Apple Pay.

Lock screen

Finally, a feature that has been suggested for iOS 9 would imply abilities similar to that of Android’s Smart Lock. This feature of Google’s operating system enables Bluetooth devices to be set up that enable users to keep phones unlocked when within a specified range. Whether this would appeal to Apple considering the security implications is debatable, but it is a function of convenience that would probably appeal to many Apple users.

Author: Christopher MorrisChristopher Morris is a passionate player of video games since the days of Space Invaders, and is extensively published on the subjects of Business, Technology and Politics. Chris also contributes to Yahoo.